Picking mechanism for looms



Jan. 16, 1951 c. R. KRONOFF PICKING MECHANISM FOR LOOMS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March 25, 1949 lNVENTOR CLARENCE R. KRONOFF.

ATTORNEY Jan. 16, 1951 c. R. KRONOFF PICKING MECHANISM FOR LOOMS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 25, 1949 PIC-3.8

INVENTOR. CLARENCE R. KRONOFF ATTORNEY Patented Jan. 16, 1951 2,538,530 rlokmo MECHANISM FOR LOOMS Clarence R. Kronoff, Worcester, Mass, assignor to Crompton & Knowles Loom Works, Worcester, Mass, a corporation of Massachusetts Application March 25, 1949, Serial No. 83,431

This invention relates to improvements in picking mechanisms for looms and it is the general object of the invention to adapt pneumatic picking more particularly to shifting shuttle boxes.

Many looms operate with two or more shuttles which are active one at-a time to produce pattern effects in the fabric being woven. The shuttle boxes for the shuttles are shifted in a sequence determined by the pattern chain, and the shuttle box in active position upon completion .of a box shift registers with picking mechanism. When compressed air is utilized to pick a shuttle in active position it is desirable that leakage of compressed air at the point of entry into the shuttle box he reduced to a minimum.

It is an important object of the present inven tion to provide pneumatic shuttle boxes assembled in a gang and each capable of movement to active position to register with pneumatic means. The shuttle box and picking mechanism are made with cooperating parts which move relatively to each other to effect an air seal prior to picking, thereby reducing air loss to a minimum.

' It is a further object of the invention to provide pneumatic picking mechanism including a tubular valve or the like which in projected to a point within the active shuttle box near the shuttle prior to admission of compressed air through the valve into the shuttle box.

It is another'object of the invention to provide a compression chamber normally connected to a source of compressedair but cut off from the source by valve action immediately prior to picking so that the picking force will be determined by' the pressures existing within the compression chamber and not be affected by pressure variations which may exist at the source.

It is a still further object of the invention to arrange the aforesaid tubular valve so that if it is unable to enter a misplaced shuttle box the valve will not open. This will prevent a weak or faulty pick which might otherwise cause the loom to protect, or cause damage. The filling stop motion will then stop the loom.

Y In the accompanying drawings, wherein a con-- venient embodiment of the invention is shown,

Fig. l is a front elevationof the shifting shuttle box end of a loom with the invention applied 13 Claims. (Cl. 139144)' Fig. 5 is an end elevation on an enlarged scale looking in the direction of arrow 5, Fig. 1,

Fig. 6 is a View similar to the left hand partof Fig. 2, but shows the mechanism in one of the stages or positions through which it passes preparatory to picking,

Fig. 7 is a view similar to Fig.

i the parts moved to picking position, and

' Fig. 8 is a vertical section on line 8-8, Fig. 6.

Referring particularly to Figs. 1 and 3, the loom frame I!) supports. a rocker shaft II on which are mounted lay swords one of which is shown at H2. The lay i3 is mounted on the upper ends of the swords and is reciprocated backwardly and forwardly during loom operationby power derived from a top or crank shaft I l. The latter in the present instance is provided with a gear l5 meshing with a gear l6 of twice its size keyed to the bottom shaft 11. complete revolution to effect a reciprocation of the lay for each pick or beat of the loom, and the bottom shaft completes a rotation each second beat of the loom.

, Shuttle box shifting mechanism designated generally as K includes levers l8 and I9 which are operatively connected to a chain 20 trained around a loose sprocket wheel 2| and then extended upwardly over two sheaves 22 on the lay and then down for attachment as at 23 to a box lifter rod 24. During loom operation a pattern chain 25 of the mechanism K controls the movements 'of the levers l8 and 19 so that the box lifter rod can be moved to a plurality of vertical positions, four in the present instance.

The matter thus far described is of common construction and operates in the usual manner, and except as noted hereinafter forms no part of the present invention.

In carrying the present invention intoeffect there is provided a gang G of shuttle boxes mounted on the upper end of box lifter rod 24. The lay has an inner. box guide 25 for the right hand end of gang G, and an outer guide 2], to be described in more detail hereinafter, is provided forthe outer end of the gang G, see Fig. 2. Gang G in the present instance has four shuttle boxes or cells designatedas 3%, 3H, 32 and 33, arranged from top to bottom as shown in Fig. 1. Each shuttle boxis of the pneumatic type having front and back walls 35 and 36, respectively. The uppermost shuttle box 36 has a top 31 and the lowest box 33 has a bottom 38, and cross partitions or floors 38, to and 4| cooperate with the front andback walls 35 and 36 to provide the several shuttle. boxes. which aressubstantially enclosed 6, but shows the The crank shaft makes one.

except for their ends. Each of the boxes is provided with a shuttle delivery box mouth d2 at its inner end, and an inlet miles or aperture 43 at its outer end. A shuttle check or stop 24 on ie interior of each shuttle box limits outward movement of a shuttle entering the box.

The loom operates with four shuttles, one for each shuttle box, and these shuttles will be substantially as shown at S, in Fig. 2. The shuttle will be of such cross section as to establish a reasonably close fit with the sides, top and bottom of the shuttle boxes, this fit preventing the escape of any substantial amount or" compressed air during the picking operation. If desired the shuttle may be made more particularly as set forth in my co-pending application, Serial No. 83,432, filed on even date herewith, now Patent No. 2,528,150.

As shown in Figs. 2, 4 and 8 a hollow air reservoir B is secured to the rear part of a lay end 5| which is part of the lay 53. secured to the lay end 5! has an air passage 53 communicating with a. pipe or the like 54 leading to a source of compressed air, such as a pump (not shown herein). Pipe .54 communicates with passage 53 at a point inter-mediate. the ends with the latter, as shown in Fig. 2, and passage 53 leads to the reservoir. The lay end 5| has an air passage 55 therethrough which communicates with the interior of the. reservoir 56 and also with an air space or chamber 56 located within the box guide 21 secured to the lay end 5|.

A control lever 65. is pivoted at 6! to a small stand 62 bolted or otherwise fastened to the lay end H. The rear end 63 of lever 56 is connected to a plunger valve 64 which fits the previously described air passage 53' and normally leaves the latterin communication with the source of compressed air. The end 63 of lever to is provided with vertical pin 65 which extends through a slot 66 in the head 61 of a. control rod 6%. The latter is; guided for longitudinal motion parallel to the lay by an inner bearing-l0. mounted on the lay end 5|, and an outer bearing 12 secured at 73 on the back; of the fitting 52., A compression spring 14: surrounding part. of rod 68 is located between bearing '10v and a collar 15 secured adjustably along rod 68 and acts normally to hold rod 63 yieldingly to the left in the position shown in Fig. 2. Rod head Si is formed with a dependent finger 8.0 through the lower end of which extends a rod 8| having a head 82 normally held against finger by a compression spring 83. The r ght end of rod SI, see Fig. 2, is secured. to a, primary tubular valve 85 guided for sliding movement substantially parallel to the shuttle boxes by box guide 21. Valve 85 is formed with a plurality of angularly arranged ports 86 which are normally closed :by an inner secondary tubular valve 8'! slidably mounted within and having a close fit with the interior of valve 85. A pin 88 extending vertical- 'ly from tubular valve 81 is received by a slot 89 in the lower arm 90 of lever Ell.

A small stand secured to and extending to the left from box guide 21, Fig. 2, supports a needle valve 96 the longitudinal position of which A fitting 52 4. I04 secured to bottom Shaft II. This cam me makes a rotation every second heat of the m when the invention is applied to a loom having a single shuttle box on the end thereof opposite to the end shown in Fig. 1.

'Cam groove W5 receives a roll I06 on a lever H3! rockable about a fixed pivot 108. The forward end of lever I0! is connected to a rod H0, the-upper end or" which is connected to a bell crank lever H l pivoted as at H2 to some part of lay l3, see Fig. 1. The left end of previously described rod 68 is connected to bell crank shaft Ill. Cam I60 has a point H3 which depresses lever 161 every second beat of the loom, preferably when the lay is on its top center position and moving rearwardly. The dwell H4 keeps lever Hi1 and parts attached to it stationary with respect to the lay during the greater part of each two pick cycle of the loom.

In operation, the parts are normally in the position shown in Fig. 2. and roll N36; is in a dwell H4, as shown in Fig. 3. The gang G shifts during a shifting period usually starting when the. lay is; at or near bottom center and ending when the lay is at; top center. When picking is to take place at the left end of the loom cam point H3 will depress lever lil'l when the lay is at or near top center. As lever 10'! descends it will have several effiects, the first of which will be to move rod 68 and arm 80 from the position shown in Fig. 2 to the right to the position shown in Fig. 6. This motion occurs without movement of lever 5.9, and causes the primary slide valve 85v to move inwardly or to the right from the position shown in Fig. 2 through the registering aperture 43 into the actively placed shuttle box to a position close to the shuttle, see Fig. 6. When in this position all the ports 86 register completely with compartment 56. At this time the secondary interior slide valve 81 is still in its normal position and closes the ports 85. V

The next effect caused by down motion of lever :01 is to cause rod 68 to rock lever 60 to the right from. the idle position shown in Fig. 6 to the working position shown in Fig. 7, whereupon plunger valve. 64 will slide to the right in passage 53. to seal the chamber 58 from pipe 5 3. At this Same time the secondary valve 81 moves to the left from the closed position shown in Fig. 6 to the. open position shown in Fig. 7, whereupon air from the chamber 55 is able to pass through ports 86 and the primary slide valve 85 along the course indicated generally by arrow (1, Fig. 7, into the shuttle box to. pick the shuttle. When lever 60 is in its working position spring 83 will be compressed. In rocking to its working position lever fill causes the needle 96 to enter orifice 9%, thereby effectively sealing the latter to prevent escape of air. 7

The primary tubular valve 85 is preferably projected into the shuttlev box registered therewith by a. distance equal at least to the travel of the secondary valve to the left of the right hand ends of ports 85. If the shuttle boxes should not complete a shift and no box registers with valve 85,

. the latter will not be able to enter a box and can be adjusted by its screw head 91 threaded into part of stand 95. This valve extends through the secondary valve 81 and registers with an escape vent 98' formed in the right end of valve 8?, said right end being otherwise closed except for the vent.

As shown in Fig. 3 a cam 100 secured to a s rocket wheel Hll is rotated on a stub shaft I02 by'a chain I03 trained around a sprocket wheel Fig. 2 throu h the position shown in Fig. '6," to

the position shown in Fig. '7 and then back to the position shown in Fig. :2 in a relatively short time. On :the next beat of the loom the shuttle will be returned from the opposite side of the loom by any approved 'form of picking means, such as that shown -for instance in myaforesaid application.

When the shuttle returns to the shuttle lboxiin gang (3 from which it was previously picked the air trapped ahead of the shuttle will escape through thevent 9t and the rateo'f escape can'be varied by adjustment of the needle .95 by means of the screw .91. This means of checking the shuttle is not essential to the invention :and is illustrated herein as oneconvenient-wayin which the shuttle can be pneumatically checked.

The mechanism K will ordinarily e'fiect any shifting of the shuttle box gang G required by the pattern chain 2-5 during approximately :onehalf a pick-of the loom while the lay is moving from its bottom center position to its top center position, and during this time cam N39 will hold the primary slide valve 85 in retracted "position clear of the path of shift of gang G so. that the latter may shift without interference. The cam l-ilil will be timed so that immediately'upon completionof the shift of the shuttle box gang G the rod 68 will start to move for the purpose of introfinding the primary sleeve valve 85 through opening -43 into the registering shuttle box.

In the "foregoing description the invention has been shown as applied to the usual loomconstruction whereinthe shuttle boxes are mounted on "the lay, but the invention is not thus limited, since the shuttle boxes need not necessarily be on the lay.

From the foregoing it willbe seen that the invention'prov-ides picking mechanism of the pneumati'c type adapted more particularly to shifting shuttle boxes. The latter are so constructed that each shuttle "box cell performs the function of an air cylinder from which a shuttle can be pneumat'ically picked. It will also be seen that the primary slide valve 85 isintroduced into the shuttle box registered therewith before the secondary air valve opens the primary valve to the supply of compressed air in either'the chamber 56 or compartment 56. While the plunger valve 6 h s been described for the purpose of pneumatically disconnecting the chamber 55! from the compressed air source, this valve will not be essential in all forms of the invention. Cam lllflis so 'timed with respect to the mechanism K that the primary valve cannot start to enter a s uttle box until after the latter has come to rest with re- :spect to the'lay and is in proper registering posiition with respect to the primary valve. In the event that gang G should not complete .a shifting movement so that no shuttle box or cell is properly aligned with valve '85 the secondary val e will notice able to open ports 85. The groo e Q5 of cam It!!! moves the rod 58 positively in o po ite directions and finger as, acting against'head 82 of rod 8|, moves the primarv va ve '85 positively out of "the shuttle box, thereby insuring freedom of gang (3+ toshift is necessary. y v 7 Having thus described the invention it will be seen that changes and modifications of the foregoing specific disclosure may hemade without departing from the spirit and scope of the invent'ion.

What is claimed as new is:

1. In pneumatic picking mechanism Ifor a loom having -a supply of compressed air and having a lay and agang of pneumatic shuttle boxes which 6 shift in a :path transverse of :the lay and register one at a time with the lay in active position, each shuttle @box having a shuttle delivery mouth at one end thereof and an aperture at the other end thereof, a primaryvalve normally out of .saidpath' of shifting of the shuttle boxes, a secondary valve normally closing said primary valve tosaid supply, :mea'ns projecting the primary valve through the aperture of the active shuttle box and into the latter, and'means thereafter moving the secondary valve to open said primary valve to said supply.

2. In pneumaticpicking-mechanism:for a loom having a supply of compressed air and a gang of pneumatic shuttle boxes Which when shifting shift during a shifting period regularly recurring during loom operation in a given path to move one-ata time to active picking position,'the.shuttle boxes each having .an inlet aperture therein-at one end of said gang, a primary valve adjacent to said one end of the gang normally out of said path, a secondary valve normally closing the primary valve to said supply, means operating upon completion of ashifting period to project the primary valve through the aperture of .the shuttle box in active picking position, and means thereafter operating to move the secondary valve to open the primary valve to said supply.

.3. In pneumatic picking mechanism for a loom having :a supply or compressed and a gang .of pneumatic .shuttle boxes which when shifting shift during a shifting period regularly recurring during loom operation in a given path to move one at'a time to active picking position, the shuttle boxes each having an inlet aperture therein/at one .end of said gang, a guide means for said .one end of the gang, a primary valve slidable in said guide means normally out of said path, a secondaryvalve normally closing the primary valve to said supply, means operating upon completion of a shifting period to move the primary valve into the aperture of the shuttle box in active picking position, and means operating thereafter to move the secondary valve to open the primary valve to said supply. I

l. .I-n pneumatic picking mechanism for a loom having a supply of compregsed air and a gang of pneumatic shuttle boxes which when shifting shift during a shifting period regularly recurring during loom operation in a given path to move one at a time to active picking position, the shuttle boxes each having an inlet aperture therein at one end of said gang, a primary tubular valve normally out of said path, a secondary val e slidable within the primary valve and normally closing the interior of the latter to said supplv, means acting upon completion of a shifting period to move the primary valve into the a erture of the shuttle box in active position, and means sl ding the secondary valve relatively to the primary valve to open the interior of the latter to said supply after said primary valve has moved into said aperture.

' 5. Zn pn umatic picking means for a loom having a gang .of pneumatic shuttle boxes each capable of moving 'to active picking position, guide means .for oneend .of said gang having a compartment therein containing compressed (air, atubular primary valve slidable in said guide means, a secondary valve normally closing the interior of the primary valve to the .compressed air in said compartment, means moving the primary valve into the shuttle box in active 'position, and subsequently acting means moving the secondary valve to open the interior ofjth'e' primary valve to the compressed air in said compartment.

6. In pneumatic picking mechanism for a loom having a supply of compressed air and a gang of pneumatic shuttle boxes which when shifting shift during a shifting period regularly recurring during loom operation in a given path to move one at a time to active picking position, an air valve registering with any shuttle box in active picking position, means moving the valve into the shuttle box in active position upon completion of a box shifting period, and means effective to effect introduction of compressed air from said supply into the active shuttle box through the valve when the latter is in said active shuttle box.

'7. In pneumatic picking means for a loom having a gangof pneumatic shuttle boxes each capable of moving to active picking position,

the loom having a supply of compressed air, air

valve means normally out of said boxes normally incapable of introducing air from said supply into the shuttle box in active position, and means moving the valve into the shuttle box in active position and pneumatically connecting said supply with the shuttle box in active position through said valve.

8. In pneumatic picking mechanism for a loom having a supply of compressed air and a shifting gang of pneumatic shuttle boxes each movable to active picking position, guide means with respect to which the shuttle boxes shift, a hollow primary valve in register with and normally out of the shuttle box in active position and mounted on the guide means for movement into the active shuttle box, a secondary valve normally closing the interior of the primary valve to said supply, a control lever operatively connected to the secondary valve, and operating means for the primary valve and control lever having a movement incident to a picking operation of the loom and having a lost motion with respect to the lever, said operating means effective during the first part of said movement thereof to move the primary valve into the shuttle box in active position without moving said lever and thereafter effective during the latter part of said movement thereof to rock the lever to move the secondary valve to open the interior of the primary valve to said supply to pick a shuttle in the actively placed shuttle box by compressed air derived from said supply.

9. In pneumatic picking mechanism for a loom having a supply of compressed air and a shifting gang of pneumatic shuttle boxes each movable to active position, guide means with respect to which the shuttle boxes shift, a hollow primary valve in register with but normally out of the shuttle box in active position and mounted on the guide means for movement into the active shuttle box, a secondary valve normally closing the interior of the primary valve to said supply, and operating me hanism for said valves having a movement incident to a picking operation of the loom and eifective during the first part of said movement thereof to move the primary valve into the shuttle box in active position and ef fective during the latter part of said movement thereof to move the secondary valve to open the interior of the primary valve to said supply to guide means with respect to which the shuttle boxes shift having a compartment therein containing compressed air, a hollow primary valve in register with but normally out of the active shuttle box and supported by the guide means for movement into the active shuttle box, said primary valve having ports communicable with said compartment when the primary valve is in the active shuttle box, a secondary valve normally closing said ports to prevent compressed air from said compartment from entering said primary valve, and operating mechanism for said valves having a movement incident to a picking operation of the loom and effective during the first part of said movement thereof to move said primary valve into the active shuttle box While the secondary valve closes said ports and efiective during the latter part of said movement thereof to move the secondary valve to open said ports to enable compressed air from said compartment to pass through said ports and primary valve into the active shuttle box to pick a shuttle in the latter.

11. In pneumatic picking mechanism for a loom having a supply of compressed air and a gang of pneumatic shuttle boxes shiftable to move said shuttle boxes one at a time to active picking position, guide means with respect to which the shuttle boxes shift, a hollow member normally out of said shuttle boxes and registering with the active shuttle box and mounted on said guide means for movement into the active shuttle box, means operative subsequent to a shift of said gang to move the hollow member into the active shuttle box, and means operative thereafter movable relatively to said guide means to pneumatically connect said supply with the interior of said member to enable compressed air from said supply to enter the active shuttle box to pick a shuttle in the latter.

12.1n pneumatic picking mechanism for a loom having a shifting gang of pneumatic shuttle boxes each movable to active picking position, guide means with respect to which the shuttle boxes shift, a hollow member normally out of said shuttle boxes and registering with the active shuttle box and mounted on said guide means for movement into the active shuttle box, means operative subsequent to a shift of said gang to move the hollow member into the active shuttle box, and means operative thereafter to introduce compressed air through said member into the active shuttle box to pick a shuttle in the latter.

13. In pneumatic picking mechanism for a loom having a shifting gang of pneumatic shuttle boxes each movable to active picking position, guide means with respect to which the shuttle boxes shift, a hollow member normally out of said shuttle boxes and registering with the active shuttle box and mounted on said guide means for movement into the active shuttle box, means operative subsequent to a shift of said gang to move the hollow member into the active shuttle box, and means dependent upon entry of the member into the active shuttle box to introduce compressed air through said member into the active shuttle box to pick a shuttle in the latter.

CLARENCE R. KRONOFF.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS- Name Date 

